Head suspensions are well known and commonly used within dynamic magnetic or optical information storage devices or drives with rigid disks. The head suspension is a component within the disk drive that positions a magnetic or optical read/write head over a desired position on the storage media where information is to be retrieved (read) or transferred (written). Head suspensions for use in rigid disk drives typically include a load beam that generates a spring force and that includes a gimbal region or supports a flexure to which a head slider having a read/write head is to be mounted. Head suspensions are normally combined with an actuator arm or E-block to which a mounting region of the load beam is mounted with a base plate so as to position (by linear or rotary movement) the head suspension, and thus the head slider and read/write head, with respect to data tracks of the rigid disk. The rigid disk within a disk drive rapidly spins about an axis, and the head slider is aerodynamically designed to “fly” on an air bearing generated by the spinning disk.
Control of the read/write head of a head suspension is typically handled by electronic circuitry within the disk drive. However, the use of electronic components, such as an integrated circuit chip (IC chip), for signal amplification or other purposes closer to the read/write head is also sometimes desired. In order to shorten the lead length between the read/write head and the IC chip, it has become well known to mount the IC chip on a tail in close proximity to the head suspension or even directly onto the head suspension itself, known as “chip on” technology. However, mounting of the IC chip onto the head suspension may add to the overall weight of the unit and may affect the dynamic response of the suspension.
The dynamic response of the suspension may further be affected by the stiffness of the head suspension. Various methods for controlling the stiffness have been employed in the design of head suspensions, including thickening of the load beam or other head suspension components, the addition of side rails on thinner load beams, and the addition of stiffening members to the load beam or other head suspension components. Use of stiffening members enables improved access time and suspension resonance characteristics by stiffening the suspension without adding as much mass as would result if the entire thickness of the suspension were increased. Such members also eliminate the need to form or otherwise shape the head suspension in order to form side rails or stiffening portions in the suspension. Use of the stiffening member permits the suspension designer to optimize the thickness of the main suspension body for the gimbal and spring regions without needing to provide for rigidity in the load beam region.